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Foster youth invited to MDHHS 'shopping event' to receive clothes for the new school year
August 21, 2014
Kalamazoo, Mich. Aug. 21, 2014 –Foster youth in Kalamazoo County are invited to a “shopping spree” in Kalamazoo Saturday to get themselves ready for a new school year.
Michigan Department of Human Services workers in the county have collected thousands of pieces of donated clothing through their year-round donations closet, “Aly’s Closet,” that will be available to the youth.
The event is set for 9 a.m.-2 p.m. in the conference room of the Kalamazoo County MDHHS Office at 322 E. Stockbridge Ave, Kalamazoo. Organizers say the hours may be extended to 4 p.m. depending on event traffic and remaining clothing inventory.
"The goal of the program is to 'normalize' back to school for our foster youth," said Robert Peck, director of the county MDHHS office. "I have great memories of back to school shopping with my mom as a kid, picking out a lunch box, backpack, shoes, etc..... Now the (foster) youth can come and pick out their own new outfit for the first day of school. It still isn't the same as going to the mall, but it is a step in the right direction."
The items of clothing are free for public and private foster youth, as well as families that are receiving MDHHS Family Preservation Program services. The store will be staffed Saturday by MDHHS employees and other volunteers.
Aly’s Closet was created a few years ago – during the first year of the shopping spree program – after the daughter of a MDHHS worker put out a call on social media for donated clothing for the event. The MDHHS employee soon had a garage full of donated clothing. Aly’s Closet is named after the employee’s daughter.
For more information on MDHHS, please visit www.michigan.gov/mdhhs.
Note to editors: Media are welcome to attend the event but are asked not to take pictures showing the faces of children since many attending will be wards of the state.